Three Unusual Things I Always Pack — and Why You Should Too
After years of airports and hotel rooms, I’ve narrowed my carry-ons down to three things you’d never find on a standard packing list. They’re small. They’re cheap. And they quietly make every single trip better. Here’s my trio of unusual-but-essential travel items I always pack.
1. A Small Box of Chocolates
The art of a little kindness
I always pack a small, box of chocolates, or biscuits that I have picked up at my local supermarket before my trip in my carry on bag. Destined for whoever makes my journey or stay a little smoother. Sometimes it’s the flight attendant who’s been on her feet since 5am. Sometimes it’s the hotel receptionist who just dealt with three difficult check-ins before mine.
The effect is almost comically reliable. A small gesture of thoughtfulness — something totally unexpected in an industry built on transactions — has a way of transforming a professional interaction into a genuine human one. Upgrades have happened and last-minute room requests have been quietly accommodated. But honestly, even when none of that follows, the look of surprised delight on someone’s face is reason enough.
2. Tumble Dryer Sheets
The freshness secret
Packing clothes into a bag, wearing them, repacking them, is not a recipe for freshness. Enter the humble tumble dryer sheet, which has quietly become one of the most underrated items in my luggage.
I layer a few between folded clothes, in my packing cube, tuck one into any shoes that I pack and slip one into the mesh pocket of a backpack. The result? Clothes and a bag that smells clean and crisp.
Tumble dryer sheets weigh practically nothing, take up no space, and a single box will last you dozens of trips. It’s one of those hacks that sounds almost too simple to work — until you try it and wonder why you ever packed without them.
3. Antibacterial Wipes
Clean what the cleaners miss
Let’s be honest about something. The tray table you’ve just unfolded on your flight has been touched by many many people since it was last properly cleaned. The TV remote in your hotel room is, statistically, one of the most germ-dense surfaces you’ll encounter on your travels. And the light switch by the door? Nobody is thinking about that.
A quick wipe of the tray table, the armrests, the hotel remote and the light switch takes under two minutes and can make a genuine difference to how well you feel during and after your trip.
The pandemic made this habit mainstream, but it was good sense long before and it remains good sense now. A small travel pack of wipes weighs almost nothing and costs almost nothing, but the value of not picking up a cold during your trip? Priceless.
So To Wrap Up Unusual Things I Always Pack — and Why You Should Too…
Three usuals things with zero bulk but make sure a difference to my trip. I’ve crossed continents with these tucked in my bag and I wouldn’t dream of leaving without them. They won’t get you a better view or a faster boarding queue — but they’ll make you the kind of traveller who arrives a little fresher, connects a little more genuinely, and comes home a little healthier. Pack them, use them, and watch how these three small things have a quietly extraordinary way of shaping a great trip.
For some more great travel hacks, head to our dedicated Travel Hacks page.
